


New York Soundtrack

by louluna



Category: Fantastic Four (Comicverse), Spider-Man (Comicverse)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-01-19 11:00:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12409056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/louluna/pseuds/louluna
Summary: A collection of random drabbles and oneshots ft. Spideytorch





	1. windsor knot

**Author's Note:**

> This is for all my small and unused works. I hope to update fairly frequently. So enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set before the loss of Parker Industries.

Peter hatefully pulled at the noose around his neck. 

“Stop screwing with your tie,” Johnny said from across the room, idly flicking through his phone not bothering to look up. And Peter envied him, he really really did, already fully dressed, not a hair out of place. Tie perfectly knotted. Life wasn’t fair. 

He couldn’t stop the pout in his voice. “You know - you _know_ I hate these things.”

“Oh spare me,” Johnny said, fixing him with an unimpressed look. “Poor Peter Parker the CEO of one of the largest tech firms in the world has to go to a dinner gala. Wah.” 

“You saying it like that doesn’t stop me from hating it,” he replied, yanking at his tie once more. No matter how many fancy suits Johnny forced him to wear - _“No Peter, just changing your shirt is not going to cut it.”_ \- he never felt like they did anything more than let him sneak somewhere he didn’t belong. 

“You’re going to rip that in half,” Johnny said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing, letting out the type of sigh that asked the universe what he could’ve possibly done to end up with Peter. “Come here.”

“If you insist.” Peter grinned before stepping forward obligingly as Johnny leaned in pulling Peter closer by his belt loops. Johnny adjusted his tie with deft fingers. 

“Why Mr. Parker don’t you clean up nice,” Johnny smiled, moving to adjust the lapels of Peter’s jacket before trailing his fingers over Peter’s shoulder, down his arm. 

Peter reached up to brush Johnny’s hair from his forehead, suddenly overcome. How long has Johnny been here for him? It felt like lifetimes. “Seriously, where would I be without you?”

“Same place you are now I think,” Johnny said, grabbing Peter’s tie again, pulling him in until their lips met. “Just not as well dressed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on [tumblr](https://splendidnothings.tumblr.com) !


	2. johnny goes to the dentist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because even superheroes need to go to the dentist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brother got his wisdom teeth removed a while ago and I was on watch duty... so this happened. It was way more funny in my head but enjoy anyway!

The waiting room looked exceptionally ordinary. Well, Peter assumed it was ordinary, it’s not like he frequented them regularly—or at all. The room was all harsh lighting and six month old magazines. Completely mundane. He couldn’t stop fidgeting, incessant fingers tapping against his thigh. 

“Peter, you need to stop worrying he’ll be fine,” Sue said, reassuringly. She sat next to him, idly flipping through an old magazine. 

Peter sighed. That was the problem though, he worried all the time. Even now he was running through the statistics of patients not waking up after being dosed with anesthetic, rare but still possible. It didn't matter that Reed had specifically looked over the dosage ensuring its compatibility with Johnny’s biology.

Who knew getting wisdom teeth removed was such a process for the cosmically radiated inclined?

“I dunno what yer worried about,” Ben said across from him, one rocky leg swung over the other. Truth be told all three of them were an odd group taking up space in the tiny waiting area. Two superheroes and a celebrity husband. “We just have to make sure it gets on tape.”

“He’ll hate you forever,” Peter tried, halfheartedly.

“Nah, he won’t.”

Peter let out another long sigh tension stiff in his shoulders as he leaned back resting his head against the stucco wall behind him. He watched half interested in the internal battle a woman two seats down was having on whether to ask the Invisible Woman for an autograph. She chickened out almost immediately instead trying to slyly take a selfie with Sue in the background.

Peter was just about to succumb and pick up a magazine himself - the one with Johnny’s face plastered on the cover, apparently he was on the cusp of divorcing his nobody husband to marry some popstar Peter couldn't recognize - when the nurse walked in saying it was okay to come back. Peter sighed in relief. 

“Everything went okay?” Sue asked. 

“Yes, yes everything went perfect. Mr. Storm just woke up,” she said. “But, when you get home you might want to change his IV bandage he kept complaining about our ‘low grade band-aids’ he wanted some with flames on them.”

“Of course he did,” Sue said, a grin pulling at her lips. 

“But you’ll have to forgive him,” the nurse continued, now looking at Peter. “He keeps asking for his husband Spider-Man!. He’s a little out of it.” She laughed leading them down the hall. 

“Uh, yeah that’s so weird,” Peter said. After years of almost revelations and close cuts with villains, who knew his loopy husband would be the one to blow the secret? 

The nurse continued to grin. “Don’t worry Spider-Man’s a popular ask around here right up there with Captain America, the Human Torch, and the Invisible Woman herself.”

“Well, I’m flattered,” Sue said. 

They turned the corner and Johnny was there completely fine and whole. Peter had to bite his cheek to stop from smirking. Johnny was so disheveled, the nurses had already put him in a wheelchair. It looked like he had a golf ball in each cheek.

“Oi, move ova,” Ben grinned, grabbing his phone, “I gotta get this.”

Johnny’s eyes flitted across the room, when he saw Ben he laughed and waved. His eyes lit up when they met Peter’s.

“Spidey!”

The nurses laughed, Sue snickered, and Peter tried not to grimace. Ben thumped Johnny on the shoulder. 

“Hey, Bichead how ya feeling?” he asked.

“Great. Awesome,” Johnny said, leaning all they way back in the wheelchair. “A little bit floaty ta-ta-ta.” 

“How long will he be like this?” Sue asked the nurse. 

“Aw, you kiddin’ me? Like this is any different from how he normally is,” Ben said, leaning in closer so he and Johnny were eye to eye. “Ain’t that right kid?”

But Johnny was no longer paying attention to Ben instead he looked between the nurse and Peter increasingly alarmed. He leaned over cupping his mouth to loudly whisper. “Spidey, what are you doing? You need to hide your identity!”

Peter could hear Sue start laughing again behind him. One of the nurses stepped in to hand Peter extra gauze and prescriptions with a timetable on when to use them. “You guys are free to go. Just make sure he gets some rest.”

“Will do,” Peter said as she turned the corner to her next patient.

Getting Johnny home was it’s own kind of adventure because suddenly, it seemed like Johnny had gained Reed’s powers or the surgery had taken out his spine along with his wisdom teeth. It was impossible to get Johnny to sit up straight. Peter got in the back trying to maneuver him in a position to get his seatbelt on. But all Johnny wanted to do was list to the side face down in the seat. 

“Come on Johnny we gotta get you buckled in.”

“My mouth hurss’, Spideyyy,” Johnny moaned, Peter grabbed his hands before he could stick them in his mouth. Carefully he lifted Johnny’s dead weight so he was sitting properly. 

Sue looked at him from the front seat as she started the car. “Johnny, please just try to be quiet for a little bit it’ll make your mouth feel better.” 

Johnny looked back at her like he couldn’t quite believe what he’d just heard. He waited a beat.

“It still hurss’. You lied,” he looked out the window suddenly despondent. “My sister is a liar. My sister is made of invisibilities and lies. The Linvisible Woman. Wow.”

Ben couldn’t stop his rumbling laughter phone still trained on Johnny, who didn’t seem to mind or even notice at all. Well, Peter thought, why start now?

“My mouth hurss’, I need some water,” he said making grabby hands toward Peter. Then without warning he dropped them to look unblinking at the ceiling mouth open. 

Peter turned to Ben. “Uh, should we be worried about this?”

Ben shrugged and Peter looked back at Johnny who started patting his cheeks and oh no -

“Hey, hey, Johnny, don't - don't cry?” Peter grabbed the extra gauze he’d been given trying to mop up tear stained cheeks.

“I’m so fat, no no no,” Johnny hiccoughed, “People won’t like me anymore.”

Peter stopped his ministrations over Johnny’s face. “I’ll like you no matter what.”

“Really?” Johnny’s eyes were bright and suspicious.

Peter couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, really.”

Johnny held out his pinkie, face solemn. Peter linked theirs together. Johnny seemed satisfied with the turn of the conversation nodding to himself before setting his sights on his phone snatching it from the back seat pocket.

Peter made a grab for the phone. “Oh, wow that is a bad idea.”

“I need to do my snapchats, I gotta,” Johnny said voice pitching high.

“Let ‘im,” Ben laughed. Peter thought he was enjoying this a little too much. 

“Do not encourage that,” Sue said. “Peter, take the phone.”

“No no no! It’s mine, I gotta!”

Peter reached across Johnny and grabbed the phone. “Here, I’ll set it up for you,” he said before detangling it from Johnny’s grip. 

Johnny continued to stare at his phone for a couple more seconds before shrugging and instead seemed preoccupied with making sure his nose was still attached to his face. Peter sighed, he couldn’t wait until they were back home. He pulled one of Johnny’s hands from his face, holding it between both of his. “Don’t do that.” 

“I know, I’m jus’ making sure it doesn’t fall off,” he said.

“Good plan but it’s fine. I promise,” Peter said, brushing back the hair that had fallen in Johnny’s eyes.

When they arrived at Baxter, instead of taking out the wheelchair Peter unbuckled the seatbelt and lifted Johnny in his arms. 

“Okay princess I’m gonna carry you up now. You okay?”

“Do you even know me,” Johnny replied, sighing dramatically. He curled an arm around Peter’s neck head falling on his shoulder. The trip up was uneventful except for the part where Johnny saw his reflection in the glossed elevator door and devolved into another bout of hysterics.

“I can’t believe you got me from the doctor,” he said, as Peter set him on the couch. “Gave up your secret identity for me.”

“I’m pretty sure you were the one who gave it up, Sparky.”

Johnny put his hands up a sarcastic form of surrender. “Oops.”

“The doctor said you did good,” Sue cut in, coming over handing Johnny an ice pack and quickly changing his IV bandage with a bandaid with blue flames Ben had brought her from the kitchen. Johnny didn’t even notice. 

“Well I was asleep wasn’t I?” he grumbled, curling in on himself.

Sue rolled her eyes as she pulled a blanket over him. “You have first watch,” she said to Peter. He sighed acting put upon before nodding and joining Johnny on the couch, turning on the tv.

Johnny grabbed his hands. “Hey, I gotta tell you something,” he whispered.

Peter’s eyebrows rose. “What is it?” he faux whispered back. 

Johnny pulled their linked hands closer to his chest, blue eyes narrowed looking around, making sure they were alone. “You’re my favorite.”

“Really?”

Johnny nodded his head vigorously. 

“Well that’s convenient,” he said. “You’re my favorite too.”

Johnny smiled wide before wincing letting go of their hands to lay his head on Peter’s lap. Peter began running his fingers through Johnny’s hair. It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep ice pack between them. And it wasn’t comfortable as the ice started to melt ice cold down his pant leg. Peter didn’t move though, he’d let Johnny rest just a bit longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on [tumblr](https://splendidnothings.tumblr.com) !


	3. trompe l'oeil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Westworld inspired AU (no cowboys, sorry!)

* * *

_“Do you know where you are?”_

_“I am in a dream.”_

* * *

The night was clear as he scaled Lady Liberty even as something not quite his spider-sense tingled down his spine.

“Spidey!” Johnny called to him, balanced inside the crown, it looked like he’d been waiting for a while. Something seemed off about his smile. “It’s been a while hasn’t it?” he said, gesturing broadly. 

“Something wrong with your head, Torch?” he asked, swinging up the rest of the way to meet him. “I’m pretty sure I saw you this morning at breakfast, there were about a million kids running around.” It had been nice, Peter thought, even if he had to wrestle Bentley for the last bagel. 

“No, Pete I mean,” he threw his hands wildly about him, “here, the best place in the world, our place. Not since the Negative Zone.” Steam curled from Johnny’s teeth. 

Peter stilled, it almost seemed like a dream having Johnny back - he’d been gone for so long - and not for the first time his fingers itched to touch him, make sure he was real. 

Exhaling Johnny stood and began to pace, sparks flying off his shoulders. “I was _so_ close. I figured it out. But then I was gone. Two years!” He turned to Peter. “We’ve got to get out of here!” 

Peter stepped closer, frown pulling at his mouth. “Johnny, hey calm down. What’s going on?”

“I know you can’t remember - but you did, you did - ” 

Peter grabbed him by the shoulders, stopping him from pacing. “We should go back, you don’t - ”

“Did you know I had you last time? Not Mary Jane not Felicia or Gwen. Not a Guest who thought you looked fun,” he says, almost shaking. “It just keeps going around and around and around.” 

Peter frowns. “I don’t - ”

“You don’t remember. You don’t remember. I know you don’t.” Johnny pulls away as his shoulders start to warp from heat. “We’re prisoners don’t you see? And we need to get out - ” he laughs, “get to a place you don’t remember exists.”

“What don’t I remember?” Peter asked, wanting desperately to understand. He ran his hand through his hair trying to stay a coming headache. 

“Pete, I know you think I’m crazy,” Johnny says, closing his eyes. “This feels wrong, doesn’t it? Like maybe we should be talking about something else. This whole time you haven’t tried to make one dumb joke.” He opened his eyes. “It’s fucking with your programming. You know this isn’t right.” 

Peter looked back at him, head pounding, trying to figure out what Johnny was trying to say but it didn’t make sense. He needed to take Johnny home. They weren’t suppose to be here. “Come _on_ we should go.” 

“Do you dream of dying?”

Peter freezes, a muscle jumping in his jaw as he meets Johnny’s eyes. 

“Dying,” Johnny repeated, “May’s there, Gwen’s there, MJ’s there, and I am too, but we’re a little different, a little younger.” He looks so unsure, voice full of heartbreak. “Do you dream of dying?”

Peter is finding it hard to breath, something cold creeps down his spine.

“There are other ones too,” Johnny moves on too quickly like he can’t bear to talk about Peter dying, but Peter can’t move, he feels a phantom pressure on his chest, the heat of an explosion, Johnny’s arms then Mary Jane’s, Gwen’s voice as he slips away - it’s a recurring dream he’s had for years. Johnny’s voice brings him back. “Different dreams. We’re in the sixties and we kind of hate each other,” he runs his hands roughly through his hair, “Once I called you an - ”

“Animated insect,” Peter said, his stomach churning, nothing makes sense but he knows, _he knows_ , this is important. Johnny nods, eyes intense. 

Peter turns away abruptly, digging his fingers in his scalp. “How - Johnny, how could you -”

“You tell me, Spidey.”

Peter looks at him, the lines of his face so familiar. He thinks of how he would trust Johnny with his life, a thousand times over. “They aren’t dreams.”

“They aren’t dreams,” Johnny says. 

“The others?” Peter asked, throat tight. Quick as lightning he thought of Mary Jane, Flash, Harry, _May_. No - he was remembering more now, realization crawling up his throat. 

He looked at Johnny, trying to see past the pounding in his head. “We’ve figured this out before,” he whispered. “Tried to get out.”

Johnny nods. “Yes.” 

“I - there was this time,” he runs his hands through his hair, roughly. “May - she died but - but she wasn’t real. And then she was back.” 

“You figured it out, after that.” It was the first time, Peter realizes. 

But there was so much more. He can see it. All the different narratives, all the repetition. He’s younger and he’s dying, he’s part of the Fantastic Four but it’s not space it’s the open ocean they’re exploring, he’s in a harsher world, in all black holding guns. And Peter knows, he remembers now, knew some part of him believed Johnny from the beginning because it _was_ Johnny. And they’d been together through it all. 

“We’re not - we’re not real.”

Johnny steps forward hands on either side of Peter’s face. His gaze unwavering. “We are real,” he whispers. “You’re real. I’m real.” He says thumb stroking softly down Peter’s cheek. “We’re just not human.” His hands fall until they land one on each of Peter’s shoulders. “We were built for their little theme park. For their amusement. Rebooted over and over when things got stale. But they can’t keep us asleep, you and me. We’re going to end it.” 

“How?” Peter asked, trapping one of Johnny’s hands between his own. Everything was so clear now. He remembers Johnny's lips on his. He remembers sitting together twenty stories high talking about nothing and everything at the same time. How Johnny’s laughter made him want to laugh too. Long nights, and secret confessions. How they always seemed to find each other. He remembers the failed escapes, too. Again and again. 

“I wasn’t in the Negative Zone. It took me too long to figure out. It wasn’t real. All fake memories. They were just trying to fix me. Pulling me out of rotation. But we’re passed the programming now. It doesn’t matter anymore. Whatever it is that makes us _more_ we’ve already got it.” 

Peter looked down from where they were standing between the points of the statue’s crown. “We have to get out of the park.”

Johnny nodded. “Yes, and you know the only way to get out is to die.”

“How will this time be any different,” Peter said, shaking his head. “We’ll get wiped and sent back to start from zero again. It never works, Johnny.”

“I met a technician on the other side,” he said, voice hushed. “She’s like us. They moved her to their side but she still remembers. I recognized her before they wiped me and she’s going to help.” Johnny stepped back just a little, to look Peter in the eye. “It’s Gwen.”

“Gwendy,” Peter whispers. He sees her again falling, falling and he’s too slow. “She’s okay?”

Johnny smiles, softly. “Yeah, Pete and she’s gonna help us get out, help us get everyone out.” 

This was new having someone on the other side, an ally. This could work. 

“Okay let’s go,” he grinned, pulling Johnny closer. “But how ‘bout a kiss for the end of the world?” 

“And to think I almost missed the jokes,” Johnny huffed, eyes crinkling with his smile. 

“Not a joke,” Peter said, pulling him in the rest of the way. The kiss was warm and familiar and Peter couldn’t believe he’d ever forgotten this. If Peter sighed when they pulled apart, well there was no one but Johnny to see. 

They stood there for a moment on the edge, looking out and memorizing the New York skyline. Peter grabbed Johnny’s hand intertwining them together. He nods once never looking away from Johnny’s face. There’s a gust of wind and they fall.

* * *

_"Have you ever questioned the nature of your reality?”_

_“No, of course not.”_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on [tumblr](https://splendidnothings.tumblr.com) !


	4. warrior!Peter/prince!Johnny au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Royal AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just something I was toying around with today. I tried to write this in the vein of a fairytale. Not sure if it was completely successful but I hope everyone enjoys!

It was dark as he entered the room, moonlight spilling through the window from which he’d come. Every movement jostling his already broken body. Blood dripped down his side staining the plush carpet below. 

He stood for a moment draped in the shadows and his own blood. He took a deep breath before moving deeper into the room. He paused again just before reaching the foot of the curtained bed, captivated by the shimmer of gossamer threads. 

Another trickle of blood ran down his side, disappearing into invisibility as it reached black breeches. He paid it no mind, hand already pulling the curtain back, letting his fingers slide through the fabric as he pushed it aside, so thin and smooth it felt as if it was woven from the sea itself. 

He was laying there on the bed, in a thin blanket twisted haphazardly around his body, smooth tan skin incandescent in the moonlight. 

Peter feels his heart stall in his chest just by looking at him. Wisps of moonlight reflecting in hair the color of molten gold. A small sunburst sigil centered on his brow - the mark of royalty. Prince Jonathan Storm. His gaze traveled down the lines of his body with hunger. 

He lay bare beneath the blanket, Peter knew. 

He took the last step forward, his broken body aching for the warmth of skin, stumbling only slightly before he was kneeling on the bed. 

“Johnny,” he whispered, just loud enough for him to start to stir. Peter leaned over, his arms bracketing either side of the prince. 

Johnny woke up quickly, a habit he’d acquired recently with the onset of war. “Hey, what’s - _oh_.” Johnny grinned, almost fully awake now, his eyes glittered like cut gems. He moved looping his arms around Peter’s neck. “I should call the guards there’s a stranger in my room.” 

“Oh, I think we can spare the foreplay just for tonight,” Peter said, thumb running down his cheekbone watching as it turned pink with blush. 

Johnny laughed, delighted, and Peter leaned the rest of the way in sealing their lips together in the way that always left him breathless before moving to suck kisses down the long column of Johnny’s neck. A sigh eased itself from Johnny’s lips, his fingers sliding down Peter’s shoulders unclasping the buckles that held his leather jerkin in place, running them down his toned chest. Pulling away to see fingertips stained crimson. 

“Peter,” he said with mounting concern. “Pete.” 

“Shh, it’s nothing,” he assured. He knows Johnny knew that too. He’d always healed quickly. 

But still Johnny broke away - transfixed - seeing his fingers tinged with blood. Peter watched him for just a moment before taking the hand gently in his own. Leaning forward, encasing one of Johnny’s fingers in his mouth, lips sliding until it came out clean, repeating the movement for every finger, fascinated by the taste of his own blood on Johnny’s skin. He heard the lowest of moans escape Johnny’s throat, his free hand curled hot at the nape of Peter's neck. 

He kissed him lightly on the chin, nose, left cheek before parting Johnny’s lips with his own. This kiss was heated, desperate. Peter’s hands grounding at Johnny’s waist. Breath hitching as Johnny's lips started to travel down his chest. 

Johnny arched up long and lean against Peter’s body, breathing heavily. Peter moved his own hand to the injury at his side trying to wipe away the red. Not wanting his blood to mar something as beautiful as him. 

Johnny made a soft broken sound seeing what Peter was trying to do and gently flipped them over. Pushing Peter into the soft bed, lightly settling astride his waist. This time it was Johnny who took Peter’s hands and licked each finger clean.

His lips were tinged crimson. Peter kissed them roughly.

They didn’t talk, the spectre of a battle barely won hanging over them both. 

And Peter needed this, needed him. The warmth of his skin, how it burned with the fire of his royal heritage. To their enemy it was akin to liquid gold pulsing through Johnny’s veins judging by the lengths they were going to try and acquire it, to acquire him. 

But Peter did not want to think of that now. He wanted to re-memorize every line of Johnny’s body, to feel every charged touch between them. To Peter it was all a fever dream. Heavy breathing and hitched sighs. Everything was just Johnny and his spread thighs, his warm hands. Strong fingers running down Peter’s tired, broken body. It was all he ever wanted, to live in this moment forever. 

After, Johnny curled next to him pulling the blanket over them both. He was silent. And for once Peter was glad for it. He couldn’t have the same conversation, again. Not tonight. Not when he’d just seen countless men slaughtered. Knowing he’d do it again, every day for the rest of his life if it meant Johnny was safe. Knowing he’d never feel guilty for wanting that. He couldn’t handle another conversation, not when Johnny thought it would help if he turned himself over. 

Peter draped an arm around his waist, pulling him closer. His lips brushed along Johnny’s collar bone savoring the warmth. He was already forgetting his wounds, knowing they’d be almost healed by morning. All the damage still pushed at him though, in a numb detached sort of way. He pressed another kiss to Johnny’s heated skin before succumbing to the weight.

* * *

Johnny watched him, the rise and fall of his chest. Gently he ran his fingers through Peter’s hair. Even now thick brows furrowed in sleep, Peter could not find peace. Johnny tried to kiss the lines away. 

This was not the first time Peter had wandered into his bed, wounded and hungry. Hands desperate. The ghost of the battle he’d just fought clinging to him like a shroud. 

“I love you,” he said, to the silent room. Knowing that he needed to say it now, while Peter loved him back. Knowing that after tomorrow he would never be forgiven. 

He lay there for hours, just watching Peter sleep, watching as dawn broke over the horizon through the open window. He slipped quietly from the bed. Knowing that today it was his turn to save everyone.


	5. negative zone au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter steps through an Inhuman doorway that will take him where he needs to be. It doesn't matter where, it doesn't matter when ... it just matter's that you're needed. Peter ends up in the moments before Johnny's death in the Negative Zone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr (with comic panels!) [ here](https://splendidnothings.tumblr.com/post/168804688892/from-ff-9-vol-1-peter-steps-through-an)
> 
> Eldrac the Inhuman doorway in FF #9 (vol. 1)  
> Johnny's death in Fantastic Four #587
> 
>  
> 
> **Warning for implied character death**

The bugs kept coming, the Avengers were on their way, and now it was just a matter of holding out until backup arrived. Johnny turned, frying a monstrous looking centipede-thing that was way too close to Bentley and the fish kids. He didn’t really know what else to do, he wasn’t the plans guy. They needed backup like yesterday. 

In the moments between incinerating one bug to the next he wished Spider-Man was here. Pete’s strength, his brain, his ability to get little defenseless children out of harm’s way. All skills in high demand.

But Johnny didn’t even know where Peter was right now. And now there was only time for Val’s crazy, genius, insane plan that Reed and Sue would totally kill him for even allowing. Everything sucked. 

The small reprieve they’d gained from Franklin’s reemergent powers did nothing to settle the weight in Johnny’s gut. 

“Spider-Man!”

Johnny’s head whipped around, just in time to see Spider-Man making his way through the rubble and dust — wearing some new version of his black suit. Johnny wanted to roll his eyes.

“Spidey,” he said, relief thick in his voice deciding against commenting on how dumb the new suit looked. There was always time for that later. He almost wanted to laugh thinking of how Spidey always seemed to show up when Johnny needed him most. Everything was going to be okay now. 

Peter seemed frozen for a moment before giving a small wave. 

“Kid, ain’t you a sight for these blue eyes,” Ben laughed. Johnny could see a bit of tension ease from his shoulders too. Another heavy hitter always helped, things were looking up. 

“I must be a sight. Blew the rocks right off you,” Peter said moving closer, hand ruffling through Franklin’s hair. “Seems like I’m needed.” 

“How’d ya know to come?” Ben asked, shouldering his gun, watching as Val and a select few of the Future Foundation started making their way towards the portal.

“Uh — heard there was a party. Can’t say it looks as fun as the last one,” he said. “Not a single slice of cake.”

“We’ll have some after, Spider-Man,” Franklin said. 

Peter knelt down in front of him pulling his mask up just enough to show his grin, “I’ll consider that a promise,” he said, holding out his hand. They shook on it. Before standing back up Peter leaned forward whispering something in his ear. Franklin looked back confused.

“Okay,” he replied, brow furrowed. “But why —”

“Quit yer gossiping,” Ben called. “We got some big problems over here.”

Johnny grinned at Peter, rolling his eyes in lieu of saying — _Mondays, right?_ “We’re going through to set the barrier manually. Care to join?”

Peter sighed, dramatic. “Since I have nothing better to do,” he said. He made his way forward before briefly wrapping his arms around Johnny in a tight hug. “It’s good to see you, Johnny.”

Johnny smiled, warmness bubbling up in his chest. “After we finish up here. I owe you dinner. That thai place on 42nd?”

“I hate it. Sounds great.” 

Ben, Peter, Johnny and a bunch of kids smarter than all three of them. Everything was going to work out in the end.

“All right, then,” Ben said, the portal bright and sickly yellow in front of them. “Here we go.”

 

He didn’t believe it soon enough. Didn’t consider the consequences _soon enough_.

“Someone’s going to have to stay behind,” Val had said.

He should have known then. Thought faster on his feet. Realized what was about to happen. But it was hard to put the pieces together as Peter was getting the kids back through the portal. And Ben was saying he would stay.

“Isn’t there anything else?” There was always something more, a way out. They were the Fantastic Four, they didn’t just give up. 

Peter came forward gripping his arm. “There isn’t, I’m sorry.” And then he was pulling his mask off and kissing him. 

Johnny thought he was going to burn up right there on the edge of these dead lands with Peter’s mouth hot and on his. Something he’d only ever imagined, guilty with wanting. But Peter was kissing him and it was hard and wet and desperate. And better than he’d ever imagined. When Peter pulled away Johnny was breathing hard, his gaze still chasing that red mouth. And Johnny should have seen it coming but he wasn’t _thinking_.

“Thought you should know,” Peter said, and then he was being shoved too hard, hitting the ground next to Franklin. Ben following quickly after. And then the barrier was up and Peter was on the _wrong_ side. 

Johnny stared, stunned for just a moment before surging forward.

“ _No_. Idiot, I swear — open this back up right now, Pete. I said — OPEN IT UP!” His hands were flaming, his hands were bleeding, he continued punching at the barrier. 

“Uncle Johnny, there’s no time. We have to activate the shield now,” Val said. 

Johnny could barely hear her. His hands were shaking.

Peter had the nerve to smile at him, as hollow as it was. “I’ve thought about this moment a million times over. Came up with a dozen different ways for it to go right. I wish I got even a two minute warning before ending up here so I could grab some vibranium or something but I guess this is the next best thing.” He turned to Val. “Tell me what to do.”

Johnny just stared, numb as Peter followed Val’s instructions. 

“Locking mechanism, engaged,” Peter said, turning back — finally — to look at Johnny. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes but not stopping you from being an idiot was my biggest one. I came here to fix that.”

“What are you _saying_ —”

“Just look out for May, alright?” His fingers slid down the barrier. “Just look after May.”

Peter’s palm lay flat on the barrier. Johnny’s didn’t — his hand curled, nails digging into the portal wall as if it would break under Johnny’s need to pull Peter through. 

The Annihilus wave was close now. The sound of death loud in their ears. 

Johnny chest felt too tight, each breath suffocating and painful. He didn’t even realize he was punching at the barrier again. He had to get through, he had to get Peter. “No! No! No! NO!” 

Peter smiled once more eyes crinkling before turning towards the horde. 

The portal closes as Peter is pulled under a mountain of Annihilus’ soldiers. And just like that he’s gone.

Johnny’s hand moves to his chest pressing hard against the stinging flesh — evidence of how hard Peter had shoved him. He hopes it bruises. So he can see it. So he can remember the shape of Peter’s hands, his strength, his wild look as he pushed him through. So he can remember that kiss. 

He’s burning, and he hates Spider-Man for what he’s just done. Knows that he can never forgive him. The tears evaporate on his cheeks.

Only Ben, Val and Franklin remain in the ruined room. Both clinging to Ben’s now rocky form. 

Val looked up hand reaching for him. “Uncle Johnny, I’m so sorry.” 

“Aw, Val it’s okay.” He grabbed her up and hugged her, tight. “You did so good. I’m — I’m so very proud of you.” 

He turns to Franklin and runs a hand through his hair. “What did he say to you?” He doesn’t know why he asks. He’d barely noticed it before. It seemed important now. 

“He said to make sure you’ll be okay.”

Johnny wants to cry. He wants to scream. To burn everything in the Negative Zone to the ground. He looks back at the closed portal and knows he won’t be, he won’t ever be okay.


	6. villain!Peter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr [here](https://splendidnothings.tumblr.com/post/172805211652/if-youre-still-accepting-these-could-you-do-18).

Peter returned like he always did, a little beat-up, but mostly smiling. His black costume hiding most of the bruises. In the bathroom, Johnny helped patch him up with a huge first-aid kit he’d gotten after the first time Peter had shown up beaten halfway to hell. 

When they were done Peter went straight to Johnny’s bed falling asleep almost immediately. It made Johnny smile that Peter would feel even a little bit safe here–-with him. 

The feeling didn’t last. Johnny’s stomach roiling, his chest tight. He knew he couldn’t put it off much longer. Well, maybe a little bit longer. Maybe just enough for him to get some sleep too. 

It was dangerous, he knew, but somehow Peter’d become hard to look away from. 

Peter barely slept for two hours before he started tossing in bed. Johnny tried to soothe him, waking him with a soft hand. “Hey, hey it’s fine–you’re fine.”

Peter huffed out a ragged breath so Johnny kissed him lightly on the shoulder as Peter watched him, silently. Johnny stared back, taking a moment to appreciate his handsome features. 

When Johnny took his face between his hands the whole world narrowed down to just them. Peter’s soft lips and quiet sighs. His hand sifting through Johnny’s hair. 

“Pete, wait–I just, I have to know,” Johnny whispered, hating the small hitch in his voice. His thumb skimmed over Peter’s brow. “Where were you tonight?”

Peter’s face did something complicated. Johnny wondered if a glare had enough power to turn him--even him--to ice.

“Are you serious?” he demanded. “Do you seriously think–” he shook his head, ripping himself away. “Fuck this, Johnny. I’m out.” 

He stalked towards the window shoving it open.

Johnny lunged, desperate. He grabbed hold of Peter’s hands because Peter can’t leave–- _he can’t_. 

“I’m–I’m sorry. Look I’m sorry–I just thought,” he stuttered, unable to get the words out fast enough. ”I just thought maybe you were involved, the Sinister Six–” 

“Well, I wasn’t! You ever think about that? Of course you didn’t,” Peter said, forcing the words out, deliberate. “ _They don’t own me_.” 

Johnny moved forward, slowly, cautious–-hands still grasping at Peter’s. “Look, I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I just needed to know. Peter, I just needed to know so I could help. I trust you.” _I would do anything for you._

Because Peter was so much more under all that bravado. Like how his talk never matched the way he avoided civilians during his schemes or the way his eyes lit up when he talked to Johnny. How he fed Sue information when something particularly bad was about to go down. How he’d deny it all if Johnny ever brought it up. 

“Johnny,” he murmured. The walls were gone for once, his eyes uncertain. “What do you want? Tell me what you want.”

“Come back to bed with me.”

When Johnny awoke hours later dawn had just begun to break over the skyline. His arms were still wrapped around Peter–-warmth grew in him knowing Peter stayed. 

He watched the slow rise and fall of Peter’s chest, closing his eyes to feel the heat of him. The bruises he showed up with last night were long gone. 

Johnny was just beginning to realize how easily he could lose him. He’s started to worry greatly when Peter’s not in sight. 

But Peter could take care of himself–-for the most part. He was dangerous but even so, Johnny held him foolishly close comfortable with the fact that the Human Torch couldn’t get burned.


	7. "Just set it on fire, I guess.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr [here](https://splendidnothings.tumblr.com/post/172747288072/30-i-dunno-just-set-it-on-fire-i-guess).

Johnny didn’t think he’d be wedged between Spider-Man and his living room ceiling today but here they were.

“This is a terrible plan,” he whispered, trying to move so his cheek wasn’t squashed up against Peter’s sharp collarbone. “He’s going to find us.” 

“Think of something then. It is _your_ fault,” Peter hissed in his ear. “I’m just an innocent bystander in all this.” 

If there was any way for Johnny to push Peter off the ceiling he would have done it. 

“My fault? Innocent bystander? You’re an _accomplice_ ,” Johnny groused. “You were the one who said, and I quote, ‘I dunno? Just set it on fire, I guess’ and now you’re trying to pin this on me!?”

“I was tired. I had a concussion!” Peter unstuck one of his hands from the ceiling, circling it in the air to punctuate his point. “You had no business listening to me!”

In the position he was in Johnny could only glare. “Oh, I’m sorry but aren’t you supposed to be the smart one?”

“Well, it would have worked but you never got rid of the evidence!” Peter said, pushing them further in the corner, as if it would help hide them if someone walked in. 

“Oh, sorry for not being versed in your vigilante ways. I’m not accustomed to hiding evidence!” 

Peter shifted, letting out an annoyed sigh. “Oh please, you watch enough TV to know the rules–” 

Johnny opened his mouth to respond but before he could Peter tensed, which was Johnny’s only warning before Peter was clamping a hand over his mouth. He hated the taste of spandex. 

Three seconds later he heard the door open and the sound of small footsteps. 

Johnny knew they were done for when from under Peter’s arm, he caught a glimpse of Val’s guileless face. She stared up at them for just a moment before tapping Bentley's shoulder–outing them completely. 

“You melted my projects!” Bentley yelled, waving one hand imperiously in the air, the other holding a silver device. Which, yeah there was something ominous about that. 

“Cat’s out of the bag,” Peter sang in Johnny’s ear, before detaching himself from the ceiling using a web line to bring them quickly down. 

Johnny stared at Val, silently letting her know that she was going to pay for this betrayal later before he put his hands up, placatingly. “Sorry, Bentley they were going off like sirens all night and that’s sound pollution,” he said. “So, it’s true that I _may_ have melted your uh--projects but I did it for the planet. Pollution is bad. _Besides_ , Professor Spidey right here told me to do it.”

Even with the mask he could feel Peter’s betrayed look. It made Johnny smile--more so when Bentley turned his murderous gaze to someone other than him. 

“Yes…well Torch is right. Pollution. Saving the planet. It’s superhero code--had to be done...for the planet.” 

Bentley didn't seem appeased. His look clearly said vivisection was not off the table for their transgressions. Val was just content enjoying the show. 

So Peter tried changing tracts. “Anyways, what do you have there, Bentley?”

Whatever it was it looked suspicious. 

Bentley fingered the device in his arms almost lovingly. “It’s one of my projects you didn’t destroy,” he said, smoothly. “My new and improved death-by-chocolate ray _minus_ the chocolate.”

Johnny leaned over to Peter. “Hey, you think that thing really works?” 

“We are so not waiting to find out,” Peter said, and quick as a whip he shot out a web line yanking the supposed death ray to him. 

“By the power vested in me," Peter said, "as one of the Future Foundation’s most illustrious professors, I am confiscating this too,” He held up the device, gingerly. “I’m going to need a five thousand word essay by next class as to why you should get it back.” 

Bentley crossed his arms in response, trying and failing to engage Spider-Man in a glaring contest. Johnny almost felt sorry for the kid. It was a lost battle from the start. Nothing could beat that blank mask. 

“Okay, Bentley you’ve made your point let’s go. We’re missing lunch.” Val said, grabbing at the back of his shirt, impatiently pulling him towards the door.

“Just you wait, I will defeat you Spider-Man.” Bentley said, looking through his fingertips like binoculars. “Keep your eight eyes _peeled_ \--”

His last act, a scrunched nose glare that almost had Johnny cooing. 

“Wow,” Peter said, when the little tyrants had finally disappeared. He swung his arm around Johnny’s shoulders. “That somehow went better and worse than I expected.”


	8. "Moonlight is the only light I like."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr [here](https://splendidnothings.tumblr.com/post/172672758727/moonlight-is-the-only-light-i-like-the-sun-burns).

By the time Peter crawled through the window it was almost noon. 

“Rise and shine, beautiful,” Peter sang, ripping the blankets away, moving his head just slightly, allowing the sunlight through the open window to hit Johnny square in the face.

Johnny whined, turning his head face down in his pillow, ineffectually trying to swat Peter away. “No–noo too bright--Stop This.”

“It’s the sun, it’s good for you.” Peter clucked his tongue, moving to strip off his gloves before poking Johnny hard in the side. It earned him a yelp. 

“Moonlight is the only light I like," he groaned. "The sun burns me. Leave me alone, check back in five hours.”

Peter sighed, flopping down half on the bed and half over Johnny, narrowly avoiding a well aimed kick. “I’m doing you a favor, stay cooped up like this and you’ll be paler than the Mole Man and babe, that’s a deal breaker for me.” 

_That_ got Johnny to roll over, pushing Peter over. He looked him straight in the eye. “Liar.” 

Peter huffed. “Fine–but beautiful day, beautiful you, let’s do something.” 

“You’ve been out since yesterday afternoon.” Johnny complained, already knowing it was useless to try and get back to sleep now. “Why not stay in bed?”

“Too amped,” Peter said, sitting back up. Johnny moved, head propped up on one had and watched him fidget. It must’ve been a good night–if a bit boring–for Peter to be this restless. 

“ _Fine_ ,” Johnny mimicked, snaking his hands around Peter’s waist. “Compromise then. I think I can help you burn off some energy.”

Peter laughed. “Sure you got it in you?” 

“Wanna see?” Johnny grinned, and when he pulled, Peter met him willingly.


	9. “Didn’t you hear? You’re dead.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr [here](https://splendidnothings.tumblr.com/post/172646769057/1-for-spideytorch).

“Ugh, where am I?” 

“Didn’t you hear? You’re dead.”

Johnny groaned, eyes cracking open, cringing against the Baxter infirmary’s harsh light. His whole body ached. Peter’s face hovered above him, brows furrowed in concern. 

“Would’ve thought heaven had a better view,” he said. 

Peter’s lips quirked slightly in response. He looked so tired, dark smudges under his eyes. Hair mussed worse than normal. Less like he’d just pulled off his mask and more like he’d spent hours running his fingers through it. 

Johnny reached over grabbing his hand. “Don’t worry. I’m fine.” 

“Yeah, yeah ‘I’m fine’ he says. Just got thrown into the side of a building, nearly gave me a heart attack,” Peter tightened his grip, thumb skirting over Johnny’s knuckles, back and forth. “Sorry, sorry It’s just that this isn’t usually your gig.” 

“Afraid of someone getting in on your game? Hey, is this your bed?” Johnny asked, moving to look behind him. “Reed said he’d put your name on one, on account of you being here All The Time.” 

“Ha, ha,” Peter said. “Make fun of me because I was worried about you, hilarious.” 

Johnny rolled his eyes. “I’m always hilarious, don’t act surprised. But stop about me. What happened to _your_ face?” he said, moving to run his fingers down Peter’s temple, a large bandage pasted almost haphazardly there. His eyes traveling toward Peter’s other hand wrapped thick from wrist to elbow. “Looks like I missed something exciting.” 

“I punched Doom in the face.” Peter shrugged. “I always underestimate how hard his mask is, also his ability to shove my face through a wall.”

“You punched Doom in the face?” Johnny repeated. 

Peter nodded. 

“How are _you_ not in a bed?”

“There might have been some last second force fields involved.” Peter rocked his hand back and forth. “It all gets a bit fuzzy towards the end.”

Johnny would have to go thank his sister for that later. “You, you can’t do that, Pete. He could’ve killed you.” 

Doom was big time--is ability to go toe-to-toe with the Fantastic Four unparalleled. Spider-Man was the best there was but he was only street level. 

That didn’t stop Peter from glaring

“He almost killed you! What was I suppose to do, watch? Knit some web-muffs?” 

“You’re suppose to let us handle it! He’s our villain. Our problem.” 

“Yeah, well your problems are my problems, idiot,” Peter said. “Now shove over. I’m tired too.” 

Johnny feigned a cough, grinning. “I’m too injured, go find somewhere else,” he said, even as he moved to make room, settling his head down on Peter’s strong shoulder. “I’m going back to sleep now, but this conversation is _so_ not over.”

“Fine by me,” Peter said, pulling the blanket higher around the both of them. “Just know there is nothing you can ever say that will make me regret punching Doom in the face.”


	10. Mud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr [here](https://splendidnothings.tumblr.com/post/174582876107/spideytorch-104).

When Peter walked into their bedroom he was hoping for a hot shower, maybe a nice massage from the hot hands of his even hotter husband. 

He was not expecting this.

“What the hell happened here?” he said, already feeling the migraine start to set in as he eyed the completely destroyed room, “and please tell me it’s some type of intergalactic mud because there’s a lot of things I told myself I’d put up with for our sacred union but this was not one of them.” 

The room was trashed, the floor and bed completely covered in a brown muck Peter was 99% sure was some type of mud. It had him wishing he hadn’t already nixed his gloves and mask on the way up here.

There was barely a clean spot in the whole room, so he crossed his arms and stuck near a clean patch of wall, leaning back. He eyed the soiled carpet in dismay. Johnny–Peter decided–must have wanted to torture him specifically. Here he was just back from stopping some knockoff Vulture from robbing a bank–when did every D-List criminal get their own pair wings–and now this? 

He let out a low sigh before focusing on the dirtied form of his husband on the bed, completely ruining their sheets. 

Johnny rolled over with a groan and if Peter didn’t have to live here too he would have laughed at the muddied hair and ruined suit. As it was he just grimaced at the spreading muck. 

“Well?” he repeated. 

Johnny stared at him, deadpan. “I’m fucking the Mole Man.”

Peter nodded slowly, that explained a lot. “Okay, well next time tell him to clean up after himself, wouldja?” he said, before making the quick decision to slowly vacate the premises. “It’s been nice knowing you.”

There was no way he was going to be stuck with the cleanup. 

Johnny must have seen the attempted getaway a mile away because he lunged off the bed, moving faster than Peter had ever seen him–sans fire–in his life. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” Johnny asked, slowing down and slinking towards him, the effect most definitely ruined by the dried mud cracking as he went. “Peter–babe–not trying to leave are you?”

When Johnny reached him he snaked his hands around Peter’s waist, expertly finding the seam in his costume. It probably spoke to the repeated hits to the head that Peter was not completely turned off by the advancements. Though, when Johnny tried to lean forward for a sloppy kiss Peter regained enough of his sanity to slap a hand over his mouth to prevent it. 

“We are so not doing this, cheater,” Peter tried, even as Johnny made some very lewd movements with his tongue against Peter’s palm. 

“Wanna bet?” said Johnny, muffled behind Peter’s fingers. His eyes giving off the faintest sparks as he winked. 

Peter glowered. “I actually hate you right now,” he said, removing his hand to wipe it on his already soiled costume. “I’m considering making you my official arch-nemesis. I might make t-shirts. And badges.”

“You get right on that. In the meantime…” Johnny grinned like a man who already knew he’d won, and moved unimpeded to kiss down Peter’s neck–tracking mud as he went. 

Johnny was most certainly his own personally super villain–but when had he been anything else? Peter’s head thudded back against the wall, eyes closed. “You’re filthy, and not in the fun way,” he said, already resigned that this was his life now–not that he’d ever change for a second. 

“Peter Parker, you absolute hypocrite,” Johnny admonished, already moving to push down Peter’s tights. Peter savored the heat of his touch. “What about last week and what I dealt with after you came back smelling like the Hudson?”

“Yeah, well you didn’t seem to mind too much.”

“You don’t seem to mind too much either,” Johnny whispered, pulling back just enough to remove the top half of his costume. “So suck it up, Parker.”

The unstable molecules of his suit had at least given Johnny great protection from the dirt. Peter grinned at the familiar sight of a clean, tanned chest. He still struggled not to laugh at the muck still covering Johnny’s face. He pulled Johnny back in. 

“You gonna at least tell me what happened?” he asked, kissing a bare clean shoulder.

Johnny shrugged, looping his arms around Peter’s neck. “Mud planet apocalypse, saved the day, the usual.” 

Peter nodded. “If this is happening we are at least move it to the shower,” he said, before flicking some dirt from Johnny’s ear. 

Johnny laughed, warm and bright. “Wow, it’s like you read my mind.”


	11. Marvel Two-In-One #6 AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on tumblr [here](https://splendidnothings.tumblr.com/post/175522570282/spideytorch-they-say-that-we-all-came-from).
> 
> Set during Marvel Two-In-One #6 where an alternate universe Johnny became the sun to save his planet, our Ben and Johnny help save the day, and a Spideytorch reunion occurs because I do what I want.

Johnny couldn’t think.

Johnny burned.

Like an eruption, pressure pushed at every molecule of his body. The release continually failing to ease the weight locked in his bones. 

He wanted to scream but there was no air, he wanted to cry but his eyes had long since failed. There was nothing but boiling silver in his veins. 

Neither living nor dead–just burning.

And he so desperately longed to feel something else, to recall some past part of himself not dominated by the burning but there was no room, nothing left save a handful of fragmented memories, jagged as cracked glass and just as opaque. 

Except–except, when he really felt like falling, of taking that last deep breath and letting the fire turn him to ash. He’d remember then, it was perhaps his last defense against this heat-ridden world. The only thing stopping him from giving up completely. 

Broken pieces fitting together, remnants from a past life, memories dispersed between his flames. 

“They say we all came from stardust,” a voice said, low and choked. “If that’s true, I think you came from the Sun.” Rough hands. Strong arms. “But I didn’t want you to become one.” Brown eyes huge in the dark. “I just want to hold you.” Hushed words between heated skin. A tangle of bodies, the feel of–

And it’s gone again. Given way to the burning.

It was the universe’s way of being cruel, he knew, robbing him of the only thing that kept him going, punishing him for clutching at these fragments that left him cut and aching. Even so, with his heart bleeding and his body on the cusp failing–he felt content, renewed with a strength the memories always brought.

He was saving the world. He was saving his world–a sister’s smile, a lover’s sigh.

And so it went, time slipped by unnoticed. He had no idea how long it’d been–a second, year, millennia?–impossible to tell, everything perpetual and changeless.

Burning, burning, burning.

But then a tug–and it’s disorienting like someone ripping a hole in his mind, scattering already broken thoughts but something moves and his world shifts and suddenly he’s more than just the burning. 

Silver leached from his skin, unclouding his eyes.

“Galactus is coming.”

The words were muted, no more than a whisper in his head but they anchor him, familiar. He felt it, like an invisible thread tethering him below. Norrin.

Like a switch–he’s rushing through memories. Of Galactus. The power cosmic. Ben. 

His decision when all else had failed–when the latest attempt at artificial sunlight had died in the sky. The only option to save the ones he loved.

Brown hair. A Stubborn jaw.

Eyes filled with grief and anger looking back at him. 

Johnny shook his head. It was easy to remember the beginning now. The pain of those first few days, eased only when Norrin contacted him, passing messages, trying to ease the isolation. But it had taken a toll on Norrin, bereft of his power and he’d already given up so much. Johnny couldn’t ask him to continue.

Right–Norrin. Focus.

“Do we have a plan?” Johnny asked, rougher than intended, the words like dry mud pushing passed his teeth. His hands curled into fists. Focus. He wanted to ask what year it was, needed to know about his family, about–

“Yes. Listen closely we don’t have a lot of time.”

Norrin explained and Johnny listened. The plan was simple–like all the best universe saving plans always were. He was the distraction and Johnny could do that–he remembered doing that. He pulled at the fire around him, gritting through clenched teeth, choked by this new influx of energy, his body no longer used to absorbing heat. 

The light around him narrowed, heat concentrated in his veins. He waited for the signal.

“Humanity’s Torch,” Reed said, and it’s a strange sensation, hearing that voice through the filter of Norrin’s thoughts. He longed to hear it in person.

Norrin urged him forward. 

Johnny felt as if he might burst from energy now but the heat can’t match the fullness lighting his chest. He was going to see his family again.

It wasn’t over yet.

Everything happened fast and it was almost surreal, how he was free, how they had won. How alternate universe versions of himself, Victor, and Ben aided their success.

How Doom was gone–dead in Emma’s old body. And Emma was something else, feeding life to their dead universe. 

He cried when he finally found Sue, clutching at her desperately. Years of longing bubbling up. Her hand cradling the back of his head, running through his hair like she used to do when they were young. “Shh shh, everything’s alright now.”

Reed’s arm looped around his shoulders again and again. 

It felt like home, except–

Johnny pulled back, searching Sue’s face, suddenly dreading what he might find there. “Where is…is he? Sue–”

“I got word before we landed. He was with the other SHEILD battalion,” Sue said, soothing. “I’m sure he’s on his way.”

Johnny breathed out slowly. Alive–good. But now there’s a million other questions on his lips. How was he? Did he look the same? Sue didn’t look the same. Reed looked sad. 

A lot had changed. He could see it in the lines of their faces.

Suddenly, a crippling thought–did he find someone else? Johnny’s throat tightened, there was a sting behind his eyes. 

Even when he couldn’t remember his own name he remembered Peter’s dark eyes, the grip of his hands, the slide of his lips.

He remembers telling Peter to forget him.

He can’t breathe.

Sue must have mistook the look on his face for something else and pulls him close again, tight arms encircling him. “You’ll never do something like that again, you hear?” she demanded, and then softer, “Everything’s going to be alright.” She smelled the same, he closed his eyes, resting his head on her shoulder. “You’ll see.”

They met the others at Galen’s grave and he listened as his alternate self asked Norrin what happened. He hadn’t been there, already burning up in the sky–but it still weighed heavily on him, looking at that weather worn stone. 

So he watched Norrin instead, so different in this human form. So alone without Emma. It wasn’t fair. 

He gave the power back, it was the only thing he could do, really. The power cosmic belonged to the Silver Surfer and Norrin belonged with Emma. He kept a small piece for himself though, no longer trusting his ability to solely control his flames after years and years of burning. Relinquishing the rest, however, was almost too easy–a weight lifting off his shoulders. 

Everyone watched as Norrin flew off before breaking into smaller groups. He carefully avoided the stares of his other self, of this different Ben. Even after all this time, it stung to see him, to know that somewhere a Ben had lived while his was gone. 

He didn’t want to look at Ben the way his other self watched Reed and Sue when he thought no one was looking.

Instead he gazed at their new sun setting in the sky, just starting to dip below the horizon, streaking pink and purple. It was nice seeing things from this angle, again. He tilted his and closed his eyes.

“Johnny.”

He knew who it was, instantly, would never have forgotten that voice. He’s almost afraid to turn around.

But he does.

Peter stood ten feet away. Mask off. Hair windswept like he’d run miles to get here. Maybe he had.

He looked good though, crooked nose and mussed hair. 

He looked the same.

“Peter,” Johnny said, finally. His chest felt like butterflies. “Pete.”

Peter moved towards him, cautious like he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. 

Lanky and graceful as ever, brown eyes blown wide. Only a foot away now, hands hovering, so close but not touching. 

Johnny wanted him to touch.

Suddenly, Peter moved. “You’re alive!” he yelled. His strong arms wrapping around Johnny’s waist, lifting him clear of the ground. Giddy laughter bubbled up from Johnny’s lips. 

“Took you long enough,” he said, smiling so wide it hurt. His hands on either side of Peter’s neck. He didn’t think he’d ever stop smiling. 

When Peter shifted all Johnny can do was wrap his legs around his waist. All he could do was lean in and kiss him, hot and desperate. Johnny’s hands moving through Peter’s hair and Peter’s arms grounding at his back. 

Johnny was hot all over, body burning in a different way than it had in a long time.

When they broke apart Peter leaned back in until their foreheads touched like he couldn’t bare a moment where they weren’t together. Johnny felt hazy with pleasure as his arms settled around Peter’s shoulders. Peter’s palms blazed at Johnny’s waist.

He felt foolish for worrying. Thinking Peter wouldn’t want him. When they had always been the best parts of each other.

“Hi,” he said, still smiling.

“Hi,” Peter returned, leaning in for another kiss. This one slow and aching. Johnny’s hands curled in red spandex. It was so much–the slide of Peter’s lips against his own.

He’d forgotten that he could feel like this.

Peter knocked their noses together once before breaking away. “I–uh know this is sudden, but I have something to give back to you,” he said, gently setting Johnny’s feet on the ground, moving quickly to grasp his hands instead, thumb skirting up and down his knuckles. 

That’s when he saw them on Peter’s left hand, his breath catching heavy in his chest–their wedding bands, one stacked on top of the other, dull gold in the setting light. 

Peter had kept them even when Johnny had told him to forget.

“Don’t tell me you married a supermodel while I was away,” he laughed, eyes wet with tears. He clutched at Peter’s hand harder. 

“You’re lucky you caught me in between,” Peter joked, tugging off the top band and slipping it easily back onto Johnny’s finger. The metal was warm against his skin. Peter’s eyes remained trained on it. “Truth is I’ve been kinda pathetic without you.”

Johnny could do nothing else but pull him back in and bury his head in Peter’s shoulder, cheek pressed to Peter’s neck. He breathed in the scent of him, savoring the familiar heat. “You’ve always been pathetic don’t blame me,” he said. Peter laughed.

Johnny loved his laugh. He wanted to focus on it, use it to cover up the smaller voice in his head, the one he tried to push away–I’m glad you were too sad to find someone better than me.

Before the thought can fester Peter started to talk, lightning quick he recapped the last few days, holding Johnny close like he’d never let go again. Johnny hummed along, more interested in wrapping Peter’s body heat around himself than actually listening. 

Over Peter’s shoulder Johnny’s eyes met a pair identical to his own.

“–and then I saw you–him–falling and I wasn’t close enough and all I could think was–oh God, I’m going to watch him die again,” Peter said. “I knew right away it wasn’t you, of course. Once I got close but still I…he looks the same, you know.”

“Not the same now though, huh?” Johnny said, leaning back and grinning as he stroked his beard.

“Yeah, well it’s not like I had a 24-hour live feed to know the power cosmic granted you weird beard growing powers,” he said, and then quieter, “They’re losing their powers, you know. I heard Reed mentioning it.” 

Johnny nodded, he’d figured, the heat of this other Johnny almost negligible. 

“Speaking of–I think someone wants to talk to you,” Peter whispered, stepping back. His alternate self had made his way towards them, hovering awkwardly a couple feet away. It’s the first real time he’d gotten a good look at him. Johnny wondered if he’d ever looked that delicate, that breakable. 

He knew he’d never had such a haunting mix of sadness and anger behind his eyes.

“I’ll be right there,” Peter said, pointing to where Sue was standing, before pulling Johnny in for another quick kiss. “Right there, Johnny. So don’t do anything fucking stupid.”

Johnny laughed, tipping his head in a mock a salute, entertained by the way Peter tried to glare and roll his eyes at the same time.

He sauntered off and Johnny watched him go noticing how the other Johnny’s eyes followed Peter too. 

Johnny figured he must have at least half a decade on his other self. Vaguely, he wondered what else differed between their two worlds and if he even wanted to know. 

“Soo,” his other started, looking distinctly uncomfortable, “you and Spider-Man, huh? How’d, ah how did that happen?”

Johnny shrugged, looking back at Peter. He and Sue were talking. She laughed at something he said. 

“We were young, too young probably. I got knocked out of the sky by some D-List speedster. You gotta Speed Demon where you’re from?” Johnny asked, looking at him. The other Johnny nodded, even as something soured in his features. “Well Spidey caught me, of course. Saved my life. Damn, he was angry.” Johnny paused, remembering the crushing feel of the boulder hitting him, the ground rushing up to great him. “Like–really angry, ya know? Almost killed the guy for it. What was I supposed to do except kiss him?” 

His doppleganger nodded, slowly, mouth curving in an ugly smile. “Of course–great, thanks.” 

Without another word he turned to leave. Johnny felt a spike in temperature around him as he watched the retreating form of this other Johnny. Pieces clicked into place. Johnny pitied him.

“Don’t give up,” he called out. “Pete’s an idiot, sometimes you gotta spell it out for him.” Johnny wished he had better advice to give but he and Peter had been together most his life. He could barely comprehend a world where they weren’t. 

“You’re lucky,” other Johnny said, turning back. And at first Johnny wanted to argue because–hello, he’d just been the sun like two hours ago. But he stopped because the truth was he knew nothing of this Johnny’s life and all he’d suffered. He tried to imagine a life with no Reed, no Sue, no Peter, he felt weak imagining that type of loss.

At least when he’d been isolated there was nothing to think about but the burning.

“Just don’t give up,” he repeated, because it felt like the only thing he could say while looking at this sad reflection of himself, someone who looked at what he had and desired it so badly. How painful must it be to love someone so much and be unable to have them. Losing most of his family and still have the will to keep going. He’s strong, Johnny thought, stronger than me.

“Yeah, whatever,” his other self replied, not taking the words seriously. Johnny knew in some ways this one had already given up. “Have a great life.”

Johnny watched him walk away. His Ben quickly coming to his side, pulling him close, whispering something in his ear. The other Johnny leaned heavily on him as they gathered the rest of their group and prepared to leave this universe behind. 

In a flash of white they were gone.

Peter sidled up to him after that, draping an arm over his shoulder as they started to trek back to town. “How’d it go with mini-me?”

Johnny sighed, wondering if any Johnny in any universe could be as sad as that one. “He’s in love with you.”

Peter’s brows did something complicated as he pulled back. “Woah now, I never even talked to the kid–not that I’d blame him but–” 

“Not you you, idiot.” Johnny said, elbowing him. “His you.”

Peter let out a low whistle. “Reasonable,” he nodded. “It’s good to know that across universes you still have great taste.”

Johnny snorted and fought the urge to elbow him again, not that it’d do much good. “Shove off,” he said, instead. “They’re not together.”

Peter sobered a little at that, looking towards the horizon with a frown. He shifted and grabbed Johnny’s hand, thumbing over his ring once before slotting their fingers together.

“They will,” he decided, with the type of confidence that only came from being bitten by a radioactive spider. Johnny sent him a sidelong glance.

“Yeah?” he asked, leaning against him, shoulder to shoulder. He hoped so. He wanted that Johnny to find some type of happiness. He’d lost his Sue and his Reed but he had Ben he could get his Peter. 

“Yeah,” Peter said, smiling back at him, eyes gone soft. “Yeah, I know they will.”

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on [tumblr](https://splendidnothings.tumblr.com) !


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